PLAS 4180/5180: Plastic Part Design

Part Ejection

Topics: Estimating Ejection Force

Ejection Considerations
Releasing Undercuts
 Part Ejection via. Ejector Pins

 Need large enough pins

 Need enough pins
 Ejection fails when:
 Ejector pins are driven
through part
 Ejector pins buckle
during ejection
 Ejector pins fail due
fatigue
 Estimate Ejection Forces:
 As the molded part cools, it shrinks onto the core
 Tensile stresses develops inside the molded part
 Hoop stress = modulus x strain
 CTE = Coefficient of thermal expansion

  E  E  CTE  Tsolidification  Tejection 

 Estimate Ejection Forces:
 Normal force between part and
core is the integral of tensile
stress over effective area
Fnormal    Aeff

 To estimate the effective area,

think about cutting the part
into sections to relieve all
stress
 Remember: cross sectional area
not surface area!
 Estimate Ejection Forces:

 Ejection force can be

Ffriction
estimated from:
Fnormal
 Normal force
 Draft angle,  Feject

 Coefficient of friction, s

Feject   s  cos    Fnormal

Fnormal  E  CTE  Tsolidification  Tejection   Aeff
 Applying Draft
 The amount of required draft varies by
application:
 Wall thickness
 Depth of core
 Rib design
 Surface finish
 Material properties
 Processing conditions
 Check with material suppliers for their
draft guidelines.
 SPI Surface Finishes
 Avoid mirrored surface when possible
 Discuss options with customer
 Surface Finish: Textures
 Mold texturing provides some real benefits:
 Aesthetic appearance
 Tactile surface for gripping
 Hides defects
 Poor surface finish
 Small scratches
 Flow marks, sink, etc.
 Still requires:
 Finishing to SPI class B
 Surface hardening
Draw Polishing
 Polish in direction of draw
to reduce friction
 Especially important: thin ribs
& low shrinkage materials
Ejecting Features:
With – Without Side Action
Ejecting Features:
Snap-Fits w/o Side Action
Pass Through Core

No special mold actions are

Slot required when snap beam is
molded using the shut off method.

PL

Shut off
angle ()

Part
Ejection

Stationary Moving mold half

 Ejecting Features:
Windows Without Side Action
Cavity

Cavity

Core

Shut off
angle
Sufficient
Molded part
sidewall
draft required

Core

Sidewall openings
molded without any special
mold action
Mold in open position
 Ejecting Features:
Ribs
 Ribs become thin at tip
 Ejector blades, pin pads, or adjacent ejection required
Ejecting Features:
Deep Draw Parts
Ejection Components
 Ejector Pins
 Ejector Blades
 Ejector Sleeves
 Stripper Plates
 Lifters
 Core Pulls
 Slides
 Collapsible Cores
 Expandable Cavities
Ejection Components
Lifters
Design Considerations:
Lifters
 Collapsible Cores
Expandable Cavities
 Spring steel fingers expand/collapse on actuation
 Drawn together when mold is closed to form part
Collapsible Core: used Expandable Cavities: used
for internal undercuts for external undercuts
 Hydraulic Core Pulls:
 Core actuated prior to ejection
 Resets prior to injection
Desired Geometry Resulting Core
 Hydraulic Core Pulls:

 Cylinder force must

overcome melt
pressure applied to
core

 Stroke must exceed

depth of undercut

 Increases setup
time
Slides:
Typical Design
 Slides:
Operation
 As mold opens angle pin
remains stationary

 Angle pin drives linear

motion in core releasing
undercut

 Part ejected

 Angle pin drives core

closes

 Heel block locks core in

place against melt
pressure
 Lost Core Molding
 Complex core made from tin or other metal
 Low melting temperature
 Plastic part is molded around metal core
 Core is melted forming extremely complex geometries!
 Common application:
 Engine air intake manifolds